While planning for my mission trip to Rwanda, I prayed for wisdom and that my love would be contagious for under-privileged people. I wondered how I would handle the culture shock. Would I feel awkward in a sea of Africans? I asked the Lord to calm my nerves and help me paste a smile on my face to hide my uneasiness.
I would not be able to drink their water. Lord, protect us from disease. I would be sleeping in a strange place. Lord, let us relax enough to get good sleep so that we may effectively spread your Word. The prayer concerns go on and on.
There are still many people around the world living without electricity and running water. Recently, I had the privilege of teaching a handful of them to sew. After learning this new skill, they can now charge for their services which enables them to support themselves and their family.
Wilson, our oldest student, stood in awe of the structure in front of him. There was a lock on the door. He was given a key. He learns he can insert this piece of metal into a hole in the front door to turn the tumblers of the lock which unlocks his guesthouse room. He enters the room to be met by the sweet smell of clean. He's mesmerized by the electrical switch plate in the wall. He flips it on and the whole room lights up. He continues to flip the light on and off watching electricity flow for the first time.
He rushes to the bed. He's amazed the structure is raised and there's a mattress upon it. "Mattress?" he questions. This is a new word for Wilson. He sits on the bed and sinks into the softness. "This is a dream," he says.
Then he notices a tiled room adjacent to the bed. "Wow, it glimmers! I've never seen running water!" exclaims Wilson. He struggles with the concept of water flowing from a metal pipe. The only water he has seen is the water falling from the sky or running down the mountainside.
I had no idea our four students would be in such awe of those things that I take for granted on a daily basis. My perspective of life has been forever changed by the students I was blessed to teach.
The teaching started with prayer and what we thought was a simple concept... poking a sewing pin into fabric! Having lived in the forest most of their lives, they'd never seen a pin, much less worked with one. In one short week we taught the students how to sew a pair of pants, a skirt, a blouse, purses, bags, and backpacks. It was an ambitious goal but we were determined to give these students as much knowledge as possible.
I would not be able to drink their water. Lord, protect us from disease. I would be sleeping in a strange place. Lord, let us relax enough to get good sleep so that we may effectively spread your Word. The prayer concerns go on and on.
There are still many people around the world living without electricity and running water. Recently, I had the privilege of teaching a handful of them to sew. After learning this new skill, they can now charge for their services which enables them to support themselves and their family.
Wilson, our oldest student, stood in awe of the structure in front of him. There was a lock on the door. He was given a key. He learns he can insert this piece of metal into a hole in the front door to turn the tumblers of the lock which unlocks his guesthouse room. He enters the room to be met by the sweet smell of clean. He's mesmerized by the electrical switch plate in the wall. He flips it on and the whole room lights up. He continues to flip the light on and off watching electricity flow for the first time.
He rushes to the bed. He's amazed the structure is raised and there's a mattress upon it. "Mattress?" he questions. This is a new word for Wilson. He sits on the bed and sinks into the softness. "This is a dream," he says.
Then he notices a tiled room adjacent to the bed. "Wow, it glimmers! I've never seen running water!" exclaims Wilson. He struggles with the concept of water flowing from a metal pipe. The only water he has seen is the water falling from the sky or running down the mountainside.
I had no idea our four students would be in such awe of those things that I take for granted on a daily basis. My perspective of life has been forever changed by the students I was blessed to teach.
The teaching started with prayer and what we thought was a simple concept... poking a sewing pin into fabric! Having lived in the forest most of their lives, they'd never seen a pin, much less worked with one. In one short week we taught the students how to sew a pair of pants, a skirt, a blouse, purses, bags, and backpacks. It was an ambitious goal but we were determined to give these students as much knowledge as possible.
